Building Tips and technical articles. > Paint and finishing

Source for fiberglass cloth

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Steve Helmick:
3/4 oz/yard is the standard for light fiberglass cloth in the USA, but in Europe, there is .6 oz/sq. meter (?) available. I would try "FAI Supply" for that. The FAI FF guys go to the extra effort and expense. I used it on the C-tube LE on my F1A gliders...but that was more than four decades ago!


"I do not like messing with polyester resin but prefer epoxy thinned with acetone."

Yes, polyester has a much shorter shelf life and is difficult to get the right amount of hardner because it's such a small proportion of the whole.

I'm not so sure about using acetone to thin the epoxy, though. I believe alcohol is the correct thing to use, but I'm also not 100% sure what sort of alcohol is the one to use...but NOT isopropyl alcohol from the drugstore, because it typically has 5%+ water. I get "shellac thinner" from the paint/hardware store, but would have to read the fine print to see what sort of alcohol it is. And, I just checked...and I'm out of it. Good excuse to get out of the house and go to the hardware store.  y1 Steve 

doug coursey:

--- Quote from: Steve Helmick on March 05, 2024, 02:27:24 PM ---3/4 oz/yard is the standard for light fiberglass cloth in the USA, but in Europe, there is .6 oz/sq. meter (?) available. I would try "FAI Supply" for that. The FAI FF guys go to the extra effort and expense. I used it on the C-tube LE on my F1A gliders...but that was more than four decades ago!


"I do not like messing with polyester resin but prefer epoxy thinned with acetone."

Yes, polyester has a much shorter shelf life and is difficult to get the right amount of hardner because it's such a small proportion of the whole.

I'm not so sure about using acetone to thin the epoxy, though. I believe alcohol is the correct thing to use, but I'm also not 100% sure what sort of alcohol is the one to use...but NOT isopropyl alcohol from the drugstore, because it typically has 5%+ water. I get "shellac thinner" from the paint/hardware store, but would have to read the fine print to see what sort of alcohol it is. And, I just checked...and I'm out of it. Good excuse to get out of the house and go to the hardware store.  y1 Steve

--- End quote ---

I HAVE USED ACETONE TO THIN EPOXY..IT ALSO SLOWS DOWN THE HARDENING TIME A LITTLE BIT ALSO...HAVNT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT...

Paul Smith:
The epoxy doesn't know or care after the solvent has evaporated. 
The can of "lacquer thinner" that I bought says "acetone" on the back side.

Istvan Travnik:
I use pure methanol to thin epoxy.
(in very small amount once,  typically 10 ml Resin + 4 ml hardener plus some 3-4 ml methanol. (Or double: 20 ml resin + ... )

In a small medical tube I make a "shake" , very often with some Talc added, for better sandability. )
This mixture is usable on blue or pink foams, not harmful at all.
Acetone is better to wash the brush finally, strictly in another room... :)
Istvan

Lauri Malila:

--- Quote from: Paul Smith on March 05, 2024, 05:21:15 PM ---The epoxy doesn't know or care after the solvent has evaporated. 
The can of "lacquer thinner" that I bought says "acetone" on the back side.

--- End quote ---

Some don't, some do. Sometimes there are ingredients that that leave with the diluent as it evaporates. Also, if the laminate/coat is too thick, some solvent can get trapped inside as the resin polymerises.
So, it's always a good idea to make some tests first, or even better to look for lower viscosity resins if you really want to play safe.
Our stuff is not so important, at least the CL stuff, that a rule of thumb is if the hardened resin powders nicely when sanded, it's good enough. L

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